Friday, February 8, 2013

COMMON VALOR: 1954 TOPPS WAYNE TERWILLIGER

You're looking at the first baseball card to feature a player wearing an earring.Well, not really, but at first glance it looks like there's an oval stud inWayne Terwilliger's left ear. He definitely has a mini-me perched on his shoulder.What's interesting is Terwilliger, who played and coached in professional baseball for 62 years, eventually did get that left ear pierced. This modern-day rite of passage occurred in 2006 after his Fort Worth Cats won the independent Central Baseball League championship. He made a promise the year before to take the needle if they won. In doing so, he quite possibly became the hippest 81-year-old ever. Terwilliger, known as "Twig,'' retired after the '10 season at 85.Speaking of jewelry, this card is 5-carat bling through and through with few blemishes. It has great clarity, fancy color and the classic Senators' fob. Excellent symmetry all around.That earring complemented a uniform worn longer as a player, coach and manager than any in history. He originally signed with the Cubs in '48 and took only one year off, in '74 to run his dad's bar. He was Ted Williams' third base coach during The Splendid Splinter's tenure with the Senators and Rangers and served as first base coach of the Twins when they won their two World Series titles in '87 and '91. In '05, at age 80, he took over the Cats, joining Connie Mack as the only octogenarians to manage.Twig served in World War II with the Marine Corps and lives with his wife in Weatherford, Texas. Two gems: card No. 73 and the man himself.

Zimmer was in uniform in an official capacity (player, coach, manager) for 54 years. He did spend an additional 10 years as a ceremonial "senior adviser'' to the Rays and wore a uniform occasionally in spring training.

Sponsors

A Game for Collectors

Bill Lee wrote baseball is a game for collectors: Teams collect wins and losses; players collect stats; and fans collect souvenirs. Think about it.

How About That!

Hall of Fame right-hander Ted Lyons, who pitched in the majors from 1923-'42 and in '46, attended Baylor University on a scholarship, A TROMBONE SCHOLARSHIP. At a football game against Texas A&M, a skirmish erupted and Lyons, shown here on his 1991 Conlon Collection card, became involved. His trombone was destroyed and he lost his scholarship. As Mel Allen would say, HOW ABOUT THAT!

1993 Topps Finest

It's certainly among mankind's greatest mysteries, up there with the Bermuda Triangle, the Turin Shroud and Steve Buscemi's teeth: Brady Anderson hitting 50 homers in 1996. The leadoff man never had hit more than 21.

500 HR Club

You're looking at a 1939 Play Ball Mel Ott, maybe the most underrated member who clubbed 511 homers in 22 years -- all for the New York Baseball Giants.

Autograph Memories

The show was packed; it was held on the floor of the Sun Dome on the campus of the University of South Florida. My wife was with me, and we stood for well over an hour. When we got closer, I could see why: Mick and Whitey were posing for pictures and cutting up like two miscreant fourth-graders. The Duke of Drink was jovial on this day.

Autos from the Archives

Howard cracked 382 homers during his 16-year career that began in earnest in '60 when he was named the NL Rookie of the Year. Known as The Capital Punisher, Howard was a hulking and intimidating presence at the plate despite a genteel personality.

Card Art

''The world's a puzzle; no need to make sense of it.''

Commentary

We should all be so lucky to live on Delmon's planet, if there's room, a place so far removed from Earth that employees get bonuses for doing the things expected of them. How does $500 offered randomly six times a year sound for getting to work on time and before the boss comes creeping around the corner?

Common Valor

What's interesting is Terwilliger, who played and coached in professional baseball for 62 years, eventually did get that left ear pierced. This modern-day rite of passage occurred in 2006 after his Fort Worth Cats won the independent Central Baseball League championship. He made a promise the year before to take the needle if they won. In doing so, he quite possibly became the hippest 81-year-old ever.

Face Time

Not all Hungarians are perpetually pissed off. ... But Al Hrabosky was. The Mad Hungarian was certified psycho, a fireman so crazy he's rumored to have once carjacked the bullpen cart in between games of a doubleheader.

Inside the Album

You can flip through this 528-card set 528 times a day and it never gets stale. Following Upper Deck's lead in 1989, the Leaf brand returned and offered a sweet high-end collection of cards.

Names of the Game

It's a Name of the Game that's turned many an adult into a giggly, pimply juvenile when holding his cards, Beavis and Butt-head and me foremost.

Oddball Roll Call

An interesting card because Bill Lee wanted to become a forest ranger.

Pursue the Pennants

So I venture out on this quest with 392 cards, including 34 of 43 short-prints, 65.5 percent complete. What a perfect starting percentage. I have a long way to go but hopefully a long time to get there. You will be witnesses here at The Cardboard Examiner.

Said

"Rickey don't like it when Rickey can't find Rickey's limo.''

Slurpee Stars

Some 43 years later, here's to the 1970 Orioles, and Viva La Brooksie!

Youthful Dispatches

Evel was the X Games before the X Games. John Wayne on a motorcycle. The wild child swinging and swilling from a cane filled with Wild Turkey. The Hell's Angel cracking his own skull. The greaser with balls bigger than the cuffs on his leather jumpsuits.

Murphy & Mattingly

How do you measure the value of a player? Championships? Home runs? WAR? OPS+? Mattingly & Murphy were about more than numbers. To me, they were about eye black. A dirty uniform. A single batting glove. Flip-up sunglasses. Stirrups. Hustling.

PSA Envy

While you and I collect for the love of it, these PSAers are out to win mythical card collecting titles and the notoriety that it must bring. The urge to slip on a foam No. 1 and parade around is irresistible for some. To me, it sounds like another way of measuring who has the biggest, uh, well you know.

1962 Topps Don Zimmer

For Don Zimmer, baseball is indeed life. For the rest of us, it's merely a T-shirt.

1959 Topps Rocky Colavito

Rocky Colavito was Cleveland's favorite son who rose to prominence in the 1950s after dropping out of school and signing with the Indians at age 17. He was a 26-year-old star slugger coming off a 42-homer season when he was traded in the spring of '60. The Curse of Rocky Colavito was born.